Locomotive



Dec. 20, 1938 H. N-YFFENEGGER 2,140,967

LOCOMOTIVE Filed June. 21, 1935 flaw/2% Patented Dec. 20, 1938 LOCOMOTIVE Hans Nyflenegger, Winterthur, Switzerland, as-

signor to the firm Schweizerische Lokomotivund Maschinenfabrik, Winterthur, Switzerland Application June 21,

1935, Serial No. 27,792

In Germany June 28, 1934 6 Claims.

This invention relates to single axle drive locomotives actuated by high-speed steam engines, particularly for great driving efiorts.

It has already been proposed to use high speed steam engines for actuating the individual driving axles of a vehicle through the intermediary of gear wheel drives. These proposals present, however, quite a number of drawbacks of a nature inhibiting their practical application. These drawbacks which partly inhere to certain known proposals alone and partly are common to several of the same consist in the following:

In the first place, an improper mounting of the crankshaft carrying the driving pinion of the steam engine relative to the driving axle which carries the intermediary gear Wheel and is vertically adjustable in the correlated openings of the main frame of the vehicle was involved, so 20 that either the toothed driving wheels were subjected to undue edge pressures by effect of the continual adjusting movements during the run, or else the connecting rods of the steam engines were caused to distort out of true alignment with their bearings. Furthermore an increase in the weight not supported by springs ensued by the large gear wheel being fixed on the driving axle, that is by the crankshaft of the steam engine and the mounting box thereof being supported directly by the driving axle.

Moreover, the length of the steam engine inclusive of the driving gear was so increased that the arranging of a larger number of individually actuated axles was rendered impossible without excessive distances between axles arising. Again, the driving gear means of the steam engine could not be housed altogether in a completely closed casing, so that it was difficult to seal tightly against leakage of oil, when pressure oil lubrication was required. Also the accessibilty to the steam engines inclusive of their driving pinions and bearings, all of which mechanical means were situated between the boiler and the frame, was unsatisfactory. At the same time dismounting the individual parts of the driving gear in the event of defects arising was complicated. Finally, it was impossible to provide an adequate construction of the steam engine and the gear wheel driving arrangement, when high-power or super-power driving efforts were to be obtained.

In the construction of a single axle drive locomotive designed according to the present invention all the drawbacks referred to above are avoided and the possibility is offered of obtaining single axle drives of a driving effort up to 1200 H. P.

According to the present invention, high-speed steam engines of a construction known per so are arranged exteriorly of two vertical planes passing through the flanges of the driving wheels of the locomotive and mounted on two collateral projections of the main frame that are firmly secured to this frame, these frame projections serving, in additon to carrying the weight of the steam engines and counteracting the drawing torques thereof, to take also the kinetic forces acting in the common planes of collateral engine cylinders as well as the angular moments of these kinetic forces accruing from the reciprocating parts and to transmit all the resulting thrusts or reactions to the girders of the main frame.

Each of the single axle drives of any suitable known type, being disposed between said vertical planes through said flanges of the driving wheels of the locomotive, transmits the resulting torque of the two steam engines for the respective drive, the engines operating, advantageously, at relatively offset crank angles of the correlated driving axle.

In the accompanying drawing, a locomotive constructed according to the present invention is illustrated by way of example only.

Fig. 1 shows a side elevation of a single axle drive piston actuated steam locomotive of the novel type;

Fig. 2 shows a larger scale section of Fig. 1 taken through the main frame along the line 11-11 and including the two collateral projections of this frame together with two piston operated steam engines mounted thereon, and the, correlated single axle drive mounted between motive middleplane, are coupled to a main pin-' ion shaft e, carrying two driving pinions at, through the intermediary of elastic, that is, movable couplings c. In this way deviations from the rated driving torques of the engines are minimized. Advantageously, the two pinions cl are provided with spring mounted toothed rims, in a known manner. By intercalating an intermediary power transmission or counter drive shaft 1 it is rendered possible to remove the crankshafts a from the space to be reserved for the driving wheels 9 in order to provide the ratio of gearing between the steam engine 22 and the driving wheel g required, when the diameters of the driving wheel and of the actuating gear wheel of the hollow shaft are given.

The gear wheel 2' is firmly mounted on the counter drive shaft f as well as the gear wheels h and is in mesh with a large hollow gear wheel I by means of a hollow hub or sleeve Z1 which surrounds the driving axle k with clearance (Fig. 2) and which is rotatably mounted in the main frame at m. The main frame is supported by the driving axles through the intermediary of laminated springs s, so that the whole gear wheel axle drive intercalated between the pair of correlated steam engines 1) and the respective driving axle It is spring supported. The transmission of power from the hollow gear wheel I to the driving axle 7c is effected by means of a universally movable coupling, which is built into the hollow gear wheel I in a known manner as disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 1,681,171. To this end the body of the wheel 1 is provided with guide slots 13 arranged diametrically opposite each other in which sliding blocks t1 rigidly fixed to an intermediate member a of the movable coupling are adapted to slide. The member u is provided with guide slots 1; arranged diametrically opposite each other and at right angles to the slots t, and sliding blocks in are rigidly fixed to a member w rigid with the driving shaft 76.

The lateral frame projections O are rigid with the main frame p. Brackets q therefor which extend down between the driving wheels provide for an adequate effective structural height and unite the projecting parts with the main frame into a rigid structure. The frame projections may consist of a separate cast or welded member or it may be cast in one together with the main frame 10.

Advantageously, the steam engines b are completely encased and above the engines an inspection platform of sheet iron is arranged, in usual manner. Ready access to the steam engines b is provided with the aid of easily removable covers (not shown).

This novel arrangement of steam. engines separately combined with the individual driving axles permits of mounting the high-speed steam engines b as well as the gear wheel drives in a highly satisfactory manner. The boiler and the engines, i. e. the drive gear means, are not interfering with each other as regards space requirement. At the same time perfectly unobstructed accessibility is provided, so that even entire steam engines and drive gear portions can be interchanged without any delay. This single axle drive, in conjunction with high-pressure steam, permits of obtaining driving efforts up to 1200 H. P. per axle, thus, for example, a total driving effort of 4800 H. P. for a high-pressure locomotive with four driving axles.

If desired, one of the driving axles may be actuated by means of an exhaust steam turbine instead of a piston operated engine.

The novel arrangement may also be applied without any further provisions to prime movers that are driven by other mediums than steam, for example combustion gases or compressed air, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Moreover, instead of providing the steam engines with horizontal cylinders, obliquely or vertically or otherwise disposed cylinders may be used, provided that the crankshaft is maintained parallel to the driving axles.

Arranging the cylinders horizontally results in the advantage of obtaining an unobstructed View and best observance of the track. The single axle drive need not necessarily include a hollow gear wheel, but may, for example, also be actuated by means of a hollow shaft mounted in the locomotive frame (quill drive) which arrangement acts as a movable coupling between the spring support-ed and the unsprung parts of the axle drive and requires the locomotive frame to be in the form of an outer frame.

Concerning the disposition of the cylinders, particularly, when operation by means of steam is called for, it is most advantageous to equip each steam engine with three cylinders. In this way the considerable driving efforts required can be realized without the steam engine aggregates becoming too cumbersome, while the driving torque and the equalization of the masses accrued are relatively satisfactory. The engines are of a known type having the reciprocating parts so distributed as to prevent unchecked exterior vertical thrusts or reactions from being set up. Resorting to more than three cylinders would involve undue complexity, whereas the provision of less cylinders would result in driving torques of considerable disuniformity, poor equalization of the masses and cumbersome steam engine aggregates which were improper for use in locomotives with several driving axles.

The use of parallel fiow steam engines is of particular advantage as it permits of simplifying the valve gear means of the cylinders.

I do not limit myself to the particular size, shape, number or arrangement of parts as shown and described, all of which may be varied without going beyond the scope of my invention as shown, described and claimed.

What I claim is:

1. In a driving arrangement for high-pressure boiler steam locomotives particularly for great driving efforts, a rigid frame having singly driven driving axles mounted therein, each axle having a pair of driving wheels, said frame having tensions projecting laterally on both sides of the locomotive beyond the driving wheels and below the top level thereof, a steam boiler arranged above said frame with its bottom level clearing the top level of said frame, a pair of h gh speed steam engines mounted on said frame extensions, one of said engines being mounted on one side and the other on the other side of said frame exteriorly of vertical planes passing through the outer faces of the driving wheels for cooperation with one of said driving axles, said engines having crankshafts extending parallel to the driving axles and clearing the bottom level of said boiler as well as the portion of said wheels above the top level of said frame, a spring-supported gear wheel axle drive intercalated between each driving axle and the cooperating pair of engines, said axle drive being located between said vertical planes through said wheel flanges, and a movable coupling interposed between said driving axle and said axle drive.

2. In a driving arrangement for high-pressure boiler steam locomotives particularly for great driving efforts, a steam boiler, a rigic frame having singly driven driving axles mounted therein, each axle having a pair of driving wheels, frame having extensions projecting laterally on both' sides of the locomotive beyond the driving wheels and below the top level steam boiler arranged above said frame with its bottom level (g aring the top level of said frame, a pair of high-speed piston operated steam engines mounted on said frame extensions, one of said engines being mounted on one side and the other on the other side of said frame in symmetrical relation to the longitudinal locomotive middle plane exteriorly of vertical planes passing through the outer faces of the driving wheels for cooperation with each driving axle, said engines having crankshafts extending parallel to the driving axles and clearing the bottom level of said boiler as well as the portion of said wheels above the top level of said frame, each of said oppositely disposed engines having an equal number of cylinders, a spring-supported gear wheel axle drive intercalated between each driving ame and the cooperating pair of steam engines, said axle drive being located between said vertical planes through the outer faces of said wheels, a hollow gear wheel included in said axle drive to surround the correlated driving axle for common rotation therewith, and a coupling universally movable in a plane of said hollow gear wheel perpendicular to said correlated axle interposed between said driving axle and said gear wheel.

3. In a driving arrangement for high-pressure boiler steam locomotives particularly for great driving efforts, a rigid frame, singly driven driving axles mounted therein, each axle having a pair of diving wheels, said frame having extensions projecting laterally on both sides of the locomotive beyond the driving wheels below the top level thereof, a steam boiler arranged above said frame with its bottom level clearing the top level of said frame, a pair of high-speed steam engines each engine having the movable parts distributed to prevent unchecked exterior vertical reactions from setting up, one of said engines being mounted on one lateral frame projection and the other on the opposite lateral frame projection exteriorly of the vertical planes passing through the outer faces of the driving wheels for cooperation with each driving axle and having crankshafts extending parallel to the driving axles and clearing the bottom level of said boiler as well as the portion of said wheels above the top level of said frame, said frame projections carrying the weight of said engines and all exterior reactions thereof set up during the operation of said engines except of vertical reactions, a spring-supported gear wheel axle.

drive intercalated between each driving axle and the cooperating pair of steam engines located between said vertical planes through the outer faces of said wheels, and a movable coupling interposed between said driving axle and said axle drive.

4. In a driving arrangement for high-pressure boiler steam locomotives particularly for great driving efforts, a rigid frame, singly driven driving axles, each axle having a pair of driving wheels thereon, said frame having extensions projecting laterally on both sides of the locomotive below the top level of said wheels, a steam boiler arranged above said frame with its bottom level clearing the top level of said frame, a pair of high-speed three-cylinder double acting uni-flow steam engines with piston controlled exhaust, one of said engines being mounted on one side and the other on the other side of said frame exteriorly of vertical planes passing through the outer flanges of the driving wheels for cooperation with one of said driving axles, said engines having crankshafts extending parallel to the driving axles and clearing the bottom level of said boiler as well as the portion of said wheels above the top level of said frame, a spring-supported gear wheel axle drive intercalated between each driving axle and the cooperating pair of steam engines, said axle drive being located between said vertical planes passing through said wheel flanges, a hollow gear wheel included in said axle drive and surrounding the correlated driving axle for common rotation therewith, and a coupling universally movable in a plane of said hollow gear wheel perpendicular to said correlated axle interposed between said driving axle and said gear wheel.

5. In a driving arrangement for high-pressure boiler steam locomotives particularly for great driving efforts, a rigid frame having singly driven driving axles mounted therein, each axle having a pair of driving wheels thereon, said frame having extensions projecting laterally on both sides of the locomotive beyond said driving wheels, a steam boiler arranged above said frame with its bottom level clearing the top level of said frame, a pair of high speed piston operated steam engines one of which is mounted on one side and one on the other side of said frame exteriorly of the vertical planes passing through the outer faces of the driving wheels for cooperation with each driving axle, said engines having crankshafts extending parallel to the driving axles ending in inner vertical planes, extending transversely thereto, and clearing the bottom level of said boiler as well as the portion of said wheels above the top level of said frame, each of said engines having a plurality of cylinders, a spring-supported gear Wheel axle drive intercalated between each driving axle and the cooperating pair of steam engines and located between said vertical planes through the outer faces of said wheels, a hollow gear wheel included in said axle drive to surround the correlated driving axle for common rotation therewith, a coupling universally movable in a plane of said hollow gear wheel perpendicular to said correlated axle interposed between said driving axle and a counter drive shaft arranged in said axle drive between said vertical planes extending through the juxtaposed crankshaft ends of said opposite steam engines.

6. In a driving arrangement for high-pressure boiler steam locomotives particularly for great driving efforts, a rigid frame having singly driven driving axles mounted therein, each axle having a pair of wheels thereon, said frame having extensions projecting laterally on both sides of the locomotive below the top level of said wheels, the top-level of said frame projections relative to that of the middle part of said frame depending upon the ratings of the locomotive, a steam boiler arranged above said frame with its bottom level clearing the top level of said frame, a pair of high-speed steam engines one of which is mounted on one side and one on the other side of said frame exteriorly of vertical planes passing through the outside faces of the wheels for cooperation with each driving axle, said engines having c-rankshafts extending parallel to the driving axles and clearing said bottom level of said boiler, even of a maximum rated steam output, as well as the top level of said middle part of said frame, and a gear wheel axle drive intercalated between said driving axle and the crankshafts of said cooperating pair of engines, said axle drive being located between said vertical planes through said outer wheel faces, the diameter of said driving wheels being limited only by the correlated crankshaft as the thinnest part of the driving arrangement to be cleared by the upper part of said wheels.

HANS NYFFENElGG-ER. 

